Page 64 of Withered

Jake:Don’t just sit there all day.

I look around wildly.How does he know this?Another message follows.

Jake:Why don’t you join me?

So, he not only had my phone but he also put his number in it. When did he do that? And how didn’t I notice? Something clicks in the back of my mind, the table. That’s what he was doing. He had my phone with him. That doesn’t explain how he has my number.

There is no way I’m joining him. I close my eyes for a second, blow out a breath…ignore it. That’s the plan.Rose, stick to it.

Jake:Are you coming or not? I will allow you to come either way.

The first part of the message is understandable but I don’t get the second one. Curiosity gets the best out of me. I get up and walk over to Jake’s house.

Jakeopensthedoor,shirtless, might I add. I don’t wait for him to say anything; instead, I push him aside and let myself in.

“What the fuck?” He turns around, shutting the door. “Do you always barge into people’s houses without their permission, Evans?” He says it with a smirk.

I remember saying the same words to him. “Ha, ha. Very funny. I did not barge; you invited me here.”

I take a seat on the couch. “I thought you were mad at me.”

He shrugs. “I still am. But then I saw you, like a damsel in distress.”

“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” I ask him, my eyes traveling to his bare, ripped chest and down where his jeans are hung low on his hips.

“More like, why are you wearing a shirt?” He responds.

I roll my eyes. “How did you happen to have my phone number?” I ask him.

“For someone as smart as you, you sure are dumb.” He comes close and taps my nose.

He chuckles as I scrunch my nose. “The night we kissed.” I glare at him; he knows how much I hate it when he brings it up, “I called myself from your phone and deleted the history.” He tells me and moves to sit across from me. A table separates us.

“Delete it,” I order.

He clicks his tongue. “Nah. Not happening.”

“Whatever,” I say and get back to reading.

“Where’s Aria?” I ask by flipping pages.

“She’s with Mum, probably stuffing her face with some cake,” he answers.

An adorable image of Aria appears in my mind. Blue eyes, her ponytail, and cake on her face. I smile at that before I’m consumed again by the reason I came here.

I ask hesitantly, “Listen.”

“Yeah?” He lifts his brow.

“What exactly did you mean in your last text?” I wave my phone.

“I just asked you to come here,” he tells me, oblivious to what I am implying.

“Not that. What did that mean when you said either way?” I am completely confused.

His lips curl in a sly smirk.Oh no.I don’t like it when he smirks like that with mischief dancing in his eyes.

I cross my right leg over my left and sit straighter, squirming in my seat. Jake’s attention moves from my legs to my stomach, where my top has slid up, exposing some skin. I pull it down quickly, and Jake’s eyes meet mine.

---